The story

One wine must be first. For Lotte this was De Wortel, made from one of her favorite grapes, Mourvèdre. When Lotte helped Johan Meyer in Swartland make wine in 2015, there were some Mourvèdre grapes left at the end of the harvest. She seized this opportunity with both hands to make her first wine. Mourvèdre is known for its small, thick-skinned grapes that grow best in warm climates. The grape is usually used in blends, but can produce wines with a lot of character on its own. A good start for her first own wine. The grapes for this wine come from Paardenberg, an area between Paarl and Malmesbury. The name came from a practical consideration: there were corks available with a root on top. And of course it just sounds good, both in Afrikaans and in Dutch.

Unfortunately, disaster struck and after a fire in the warehouse, only 75 bottles have survived. Of these, 10 bottles without a label were at The Grand. They were specially painted there by artist Rob van Trier, who was working on the renovation of Bridges.